INVOICE MESSAGE

This message is available for formal trial in the present version for a period of at least twelve months from the date of approval by the UN/ECE/TRADE/WP.4.

Organisations are invited to trial this message and are requested to notify their Rapporteur Team Secretariat of their intention. Comments on the results from the trial should also be forwarded to the Secretariat as soon as they are available. Based on the results of the trials, a UNSM will be issued.

It should be noted that this material is contained in a Trial Directory; however, it may differ from that in the UN Directories (UNTDID) having the same identfying tags. Any differences will be reconciled prior to the message becoming a UNSM.

This specification provides the definition of the United Nations Standard Invoice Message to be used in Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) between trading partners involved in administration, commerce and transport.

A message claiming payment for goods or services supplied under conditions agreed between the seller and the buyer.

The United Nations Standard Invoice Message, with correct data qualification, serves also as the specification for Debit Note and Credit Note messages. Throughout this document, the reference to 'Invoice' may be interpreted as conveying the wider meaning of 'Invoice/Credit Note/Debit Note'.

A segment specifying general dates and, when relevant, times related to the whole message. The segment must be specified at least once to identify the invoice date. Examples of the use of this DTM segment is: "shipped on date" or "delivery date"

The Date/time/period segment within other Segment groups should be used whenever the date/time/period requires to be logically related to another specified data item e.g. Payment due date is specified within the PAT Segment group.

A segment requesting or confirming conditions of payment, guarantee and method of payment for the whole invoice. An example of the use of this segment is to specify the type of documentary credit used in the transaction.

A segment with free text information, in coded or clear form, used when additional information is needed but cannot be accommodated within other segments. In computer to computer exchanges such text will normally require the receiver to process this segment manually

A segment identifying names and addresses of the parties, in coded or clear form, and their functions relevant to the invoice. Identification of the seller and buyer parties is mandatory for the invoice message. It is recommended that where possible only the coded form of the party ID should be specified e.g. The Buyer and Seller are known to each other, thus only the coded ID is required, but the Consignee or Delivery address may vary and would have to be clearly specified, preferably in structured format.

A group of segments specifying the currencies and related dates/periods valid for the whole invoice. Currency data maybe omitted in national applications but will be required for international transactions.

A group of segments specifying allowances and charges for the whole invoice. The allowance or charge specified within this Segment group may either relate to the total invoice in which case it cannot be overridden at detail level, or it can relate to the line items as a default allowance/charge and can be overridden by the ALC Segment group within the detail section. Where relevant, additional information, tax and alternate currency details are to be indicated in the TAX and MOA segments.

The basis for the calculation of the allowance/charge may be a quantity, a percentage, an amount or a rate and one of the Segment group 15-19 should be used accordingly.

A group of segments specifying the quantity of the allowance or charge with its measure unit specifier. A range to which the allowance or charge applies may be specified e.g. An allowance of a free quantity of 20 pieces may be specified if the goods quantity ordered is greater than 1000 pieces.

A group of segments specifying the percentage for the allowance or charge, e.g. The allowance/charge amount is calculated as 5% of the goods value or a price reduction of 5% may be specified if the goods quantity ordered is within the range 5 tons to 10 tons.

A group of segments specifying a monetary amount for an allowance or charge. A range to which the allowance or charge applies can be specified, e.g. an allowance of 5000 BEF may be specified if goods value ordered is greater than 100000 BEF.

A segment with free text information, in coded or clear form, used when additional information is needed but cannot be accommodated within other segments. In computer to computer exchanges such text will normally require the receiver to process this segment manually.

-SG24-SG25-SG26-SG27-SG29-SG30-SG31-SG35-SG41-SG43-SG44 A group of segments providing details of the individual invoiced items. There must be at least one occurrence of Segment group 22 within an invoice, but not necessarily in a credit note or a debit note. This Segment group may be repeated to give sub-line details.

A segment identifying the line item by the line number and configuration level, and additionally, identifying the product or service invoiced. Other product identification numbers, e.g. Buyer product number etc., can be specified within the following PIA segment.

A segment for describing the product or service being invoiced as well as product characteristic. This segment should be used for products or services that cannot be fully identified by a product code or article number.

A segment enabling the physical measurements of the invoiced item to be specified where this is required for full identification of the product. Any measurements must refer to the product in its unpacked form e.g. thickness of plastic film, length, weight, etc.

A segment with free text information, in coded or clear form, used when additional information is needed but cannot be accommodated within other segments. In computer to computer exchanges such text will normally require the receiver to process this segment manually

A segment to specify the price type and amount. The price used in the calculation of the line amount will be identified as 'Price'. Indication of "net price" or "gross price" can be given in 5387 "Price type qualifier".

A segment identifying names and addresses of the parties, in coded or clear form, and their functions relevant to the line item.

It is recommended that where possible only the coded form of the party ID should be specified e.g. The Buyer and Seller are known to each other, thus only the coded ID is required, but the Consignee or Delivery address may vary and would have to be clearly specified, preferably in structured format.

A group of segments specifying the quantity of the allowance or charge with its measure unit specifier. A range to which the allowance or charge applies may be specified e.g. An allowance of a free quantity of 20 pieces may be specified if the goods quantity ordered is greater than 1000 pieces.

A group of segments specifying the percentage for the allowance or charge, e.g. The allowance/charge amount is calculated as 5% of the goods value or a price reduction of 5% may be specified if the goods quantity ordered is within the range 5 tons to 10 tons.

A group of segments specifying a monetary amount for an allowance or charge. A range to which the allowance or charge applies can be specified, e.g. an allowance of 5000 BEF may be specified if goods value ordered is greater than 100000 BEF.

A group of segments identifying the mode and means of transport, location and relevant dates and times for transportation, relating to the line item, where this is different to or not specified within the heading section.

A group of segments identifying for the line item - where this is different to or not specified within the Heading section - any rules, laws or regulations with which the supplier must comply to meet requirements. e.g. building regulations, safety requirements etc.

A segment with free text information, in coded or clear form, used when additional information is needed but cannot be accommodated within other segments. In computer to computer exchanges such text will normally require the receiver to process this segment manually.

UNS, Section control A service segment placed at the start of the summary section to avoid segment collision.

A segment giving the total amounts for the whole invoice message such as message monetary amount, message line item total amount, amount subject to payment discount, amount subject to tax, alternative currency total amount, total additional amount, sub-total amounts prepaid, total amount prepaid.